In traditional machines, new
features are making inroads in the industry, including heavier group heads for better thermal stability, auto or turbo steam contraptions for better milk steaming, and electronic thermostats that react to temperature changes within a fraction of a second. “In super automatic machines, we are seeing better cup consistency, operator friendlier interface and more reliable machines overall,” Langer says. According to Jim Piccinich,
business partner at 1st-line Equipment in Manalapan, N.J., manufacturers are pushing to innovate and be technological leaders in espresso machine design. “It is part of the strategic directives of larger manufacturers
to differentiate their products from the competition,” Piccinich says. “Te new designs are allowing baristas and owners superior control over temperature and pump pressure.” Today’s espresso machines also are more efficient and reliable.
“You can adapt machines to be more flexible in order to produce beverages fine-tuned to the market demands, where in the past
they had been created to fit the needs of the European espresso market,” says Laurel Bird , director of sales at Faema/ Casadio USA at Gruppo Cimbali, with U.S. headquarters in Chicago. Te newest features available vary
by manufacturer. Te Gruppo Cimbali/ Faema line, for example, includes a smart boiler, which boosts hot water and steam productivity by up to 30 percent; the compressor-driven auto steam system, which incorporates air into milk steaming; and the Ruveco Teck coating process that all Faema, Cimbali and Casadio espresso machine
components that come in contact with water go through. Te process reduces the risk of metals being released into the delivered beverages. As Melissa Nichols, the espresso team’s product manager
at Springfield, Ill.-based BUNN, explains, there is a lot of interest in variable pressure brewing in the espresso world right now. “Many machines are equipped with a mechanism that allows the barista to control the brew pressure throughout the shot cycle,” Nichols says. “Tis affects many aspects of the shot, including the time, taste and appearance, and it is exciting to see people boldly stepping out of the box. Tere is also a trend toward super-automated equipment for self service and for consistency of beverage.”
FINDING THE RIGHT FIT Gizmos and gadgets aside, it is
important for retailers to determine the kind of espresso machine most appropriate for their business. Depending on the projected
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volume of drinks per hour and per day and the number of employees expected to make espresso drinks, an operator must decide between a traditional and a super automatic machine. “Te traditional machine is still
the choice of an espresso bar or a coffee house with a small number of employees with little turn over,” Langer says. “Without a doubt, the traditional machine, whether it is a one-or two-boiler machine, is more cost-effective and more reliable. Te
